Strife of an Indie Artist

I mostly want this blog to be about music I like, music videos, album reviews, etc. I also wanted to drop in here and there about my own musical plights and adventures, such as networking events, and what it looks like for an indie artist to make it on their own.

Developing your own music can be done by anyone nowadays. If you have Pro Tools and a microphone, anyone can call themselves a producer, and if you have a video camera, anyone can be a singer online.

Now with music, the listener has to shift through loads of loads of musicians to find their niche. It’s definitely an interesting and fun time to be a musician, and I am glad that there is a “Do-It-Yourself” formula now. It makes it easier for someone who does have talent, to get out there in easier ways, although now the music scene is saturated with so many artists, how do you stand out over everyone else?

Well, my answer to that is be yourself. Most of the biggest musicians worked on their talent, but they were themselves. If you’re trying to be like someone else, you’ll just be another copycat and definitely won’t stand out over the rest. To be yourself, you have to get to know yourself. You have to be honest with yourself, which I believe is one of the hardest things to do.

Currently I am working on my craft, teaming up with different producers, trying to find that right fit. I’ve had a song I worked on in 2010, and now I am in the final stages of mixing and mastering the new release. It’s been a long process, because if you don’t have a label backing you, and if you’re not sitting on top of a fortune, it costs a lot of money to record music, produce it, mix it, master it. I had a friend tell me some good advice.

There are two ways of making music. You can either throw a lot of money at a producer, cut an album/EP/single and then take your chances in promoting the music yourself to labels, etc. Or, you can build your way up, collaborate with others and have people work with you for your talent. I’m choosing the latter, finding people that want to work with me for my talent. It’s a process, and in LA, it’s very easy to get screwed over. Mostly because people are looking out for themselves.

My thoughts are that I find other like-minded good people to work with and see where it goes. If I am talented enough, it will work. If I work harder on my singing, dancing, performing, etc. it will work. Although, it’s a slow process. That’s why, after a year of making music, I’m only going to be able to release one single. Although, that should change soon, as I am meeting more people in the music industry and making connections, I have a feeling I will be releasing more singles in the coming months.

Anyways, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.